The European Commission has issued preliminary charges against Meta Platforms, alleging that addictive features on Instagram and Facebook breach the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Regulators have ordered the company to redesign features such as autoplay, infinite scroll, and personalized recommendations or risk significant financial penalties. Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if found in violation after the EU’s final decision.
The findings follow a two-year investigation into whether Meta adequately assessed and mitigated the risks its platforms pose to users, particularly children and teenagers. The Commission said highly personalized recommendation systems, autoplay, infinite scroll, Reels, and Stories encourage excessive and compulsive social media use. Regulators argued that existing safeguards are insufficient to protect young users.
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EU officials said Meta should disable autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce more effective screen-time reminders, and reduce algorithms designed primarily to maximize user engagement. EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said the company’s current design is “too addictive” and must be changed. She warned that failure to comply could lead to a formal non-compliance ruling.
Meta rejected the preliminary findings, saying they do not reflect the steps it has taken to improve online safety. Company spokesperson Ben Walters pointed to the rollout of Teen Accounts, which automatically apply stronger privacy settings, allow parents to restrict nighttime access, and limit daily screen time. Meta said it would continue cooperating with European regulators during the investigation.
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The case is part of the EU’s broader effort to strengthen online child safety and regulate major technology companies under the Digital Services Act. The Commission is also investigating Facebook and Instagram’s recommendation systems and measures to prevent under-13 users from accessing the platforms. A final decision is expected in the coming months, while the EU is also considering wider restrictions on teenage social media use.